Fluid heater



Sept- 17 1929- E. JOWETT 1,728,733

FLUID HEATER Filed D60. 27, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

2 Q m'w ATTORNEYS.

E. JOWETT Sept. 17, 1929.

FLUID HEATER v Filed D ec. 27. 1923 2 sheets-sheet' 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. v17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A EDWIN JOWETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE BABCOCX & WIL- COX COMPANY, F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY raum HEATER.

Application filed December 27, 1923. Serial No. 682,917.

v1o steam boiler economizer embodying my invention which I have adopted for illustrative i purposes; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective of the headers and some of the tubes shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the handhole covers removed; Fig. 4 is a plan, Fig. 5 an end elevation and Fig. 6 a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, of the header shown-in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic section showing the relation between the handhole covers in the illustrative form ofthe header, the upper handhole cover being a section on the line 7th-al of Fig. 11, and the lower handhole coverbeing a section on the line ,7bb of Fig. 9; Fig. 8 is a frontv 25 view of oneoithe handhole covers shown in Fig. 7; Figs.i9and 10, are respectively plan and elevatlon on a largerv scale ofthe elliptical handhole closure, and Figs. 11 and 12 i are respectively plan and elevation of the circular handhole closure. v

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several views. p In the illustrative formjof my invention, the tubes 10 pass back-and forth across a flue, as is well understood in economizer practice, the water for -the economizer entering through a header 11 and passing ont through a'header `12. The pairs of' pipes `are connected at their -ends by means of headers 13 which, in the form illustrated, are shaped so that each one connects the ends of two tubes only. B inclining these headers, as shown' best in ig. 2, the tubes in `successive rowsA will be staggered. Turning now to rear wall formed in two' planes, one portion theillu'strations of the spe-vcie header shown in Figs, l and 2, and ar- ,17 being parallel with the front Wall 14 and v, the other portion 18 forming an angle with the front wall and vwith the portion 17. The rear Wall is provided with a handhole opening `opposite each of the tube openings 15 and 16,

and the header is completed by the side walls 19 which are concentric at the ends with the connecting these concentric portions.

As best illustrated in Fig. 7, the handhole 20 in the portion 17 and opposite the tube hole 15 is Ycircular, whereas the handhole 21 in the inclined portion of the rear wall 18 and opposite the tube hole 16 is elliptical. It will be noted that the ellipse has its minor axis ,tube holes 15,16 and have straight portions f slightly larger than the diameter of the tube hole 16, and the opening is so located in reference to its tube hole 16 that one end of the opening 21 is substantially opposite the portion of the tube hole 16 farthest away from the other tube hole 15, while the other end of the major axis of the ellipse extends considerably beyond the periphery of the tube hole 16. The header is preferably provided with internal handhole. closures, so that the will be able to resisthigh pressures. The c osure for the circular opening 2() is illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, the cover 22 being circular in outline and provided with a seat 22 to fit against the inner face of the wall surrounding the opening 21. The cover 22 is providedv with a slotted recess 23 in which engages the head 24`ofa bolt 25 passing through a| spider 26, the legs of which oontact with thewalls surroundingthe lopening 21 in the vusual manner to draw the cover 22 into position against the inner walls of the opening 20. VThe'cover 27 for the ellipticall opening 21 is similar in construction to the circular cover 27, the cover 27 being providedl with a seat 28 arranged to it against 4the innerA aceof the wall surrounding the elliptical opening. By the arrangementjust` described, I provide a header in which the internal covers for the handholes may be prof vided without unduly weakening the header and without disturbing the usual center distances ot' the tubes 10 in such constructions. IVhile a circular cover, such as 22, is etf'ective in closing a handhole internally, it will be obvious that it. cannot be passed through the hole which it is to cover, and when such circular covers are used, theyvmust be inserted through holes in other parts of the header. 0n the other hand, elliptical covers, such as 2T, may be passed through the holes which they are to cover, but, of course, such handholes are much larger than are necessary for expanding the tubes and the like in the holes 15, 16. Consequently, it' a header is made in the u'sual manner, with the rear wall parallel to the front wall, then an elliptical handhole removes so much of' the metal between the two adj'acent handholes that the header is unduly weakened. By providingtheangular face 18, I have added sufficient metal between the handholes 20 and 21 so that one of those handholes, as 21, may be elliptical and still leave considerable metal between the two handholes. At the same time, both handhole covers may be inserted and removed through the elliptical opening 21, the circular cover 22 being dropped down and removed from the header through the opening "21, the elliptical cover 2T, of' course, being passed through the same hole. This operation is facilitated by the fact that the interior angle between the portions 17 and 18 is less than 1800, as a workman inserting his hand through the opening 21 may readily adjust the cover 22 in place. In other words, by my arrangement, I have provided a header which may have internal covers, and therefore be used in high-pressure work, and which at the same time. does not unduly weaken the headers nor require av special spacing of the tubes. Any other suitable form of seat, in-

stead of the fiat seat with a gasket shown in 'the drawings, may be used on the fittings.

vhile I have shown my invention applied to an econoinizer, it will be understoodthat it may be applied to any fluid heater. lVhena single header is used as illustrated, to connect a pair of tubes only, the fluid will circulate in definite paths vertically, since there is -no communication laterally between the several hea-ders 13. The inlet and outlet headers 11 and 12, however, must b'e continuous so as to supply the fluid to each of the lowermost tubes 10 and permit it to pass out of the uppermost tubes 10. If desired, however, the headers 13 may be formed as a single header extending entirely across the fluid heater, in which case, the surfaces 17 and 18,

instead of being substantially circular, would be long and comparatively narrow, but would have the same angular relation to each other, as is shown in Fig. `6. for instance. It will also be obvious that-if'it is not desired to stagf ger the tubes, then the headers 13 would stand vertical instead of in inclined relation, as shown in F ig. 2.

-I claim:

1. In a fluid heater, circulating tubes and headers connecting the ends of the tubes, each of said headers` having its front. wall substantially at right-angles tothe axis of the tubes and holes therein to receive the tubes, handholes in the lrear wall of the header, each opposite a tube hole, the rear wall' having the portion surrounding one of the handholes parallel to the. frontwall and the portion surrounding another handhole at an angle thereto, the handhole in the parallel portion being circular and the handhole in the non-parallel portion beingelliptical, with the major axis ofr the ellipse parallel to the plane of the axes of the tubes and with one end of' the major axis of' the ellipse substantially opposite the side of' the tube farthest from the other tube, and a closure for each handhole adapted to engage the inside of the rear wall of the header.

2. In a fluid heater, a bank of' circulating tubes and headers each connecting the ends of a single pair only of' saidv tubes, each header having a front wall` with tube holes into which the tube ends are entered, and a rear wall having two portions inl planes at an angle to each other with a hand hole in each part opposite one of' said tube holes. one of said handholes being circular and concentric with one of said tube holesl and the other-handhole being elliptical and eccentric to the other tube hole, anda closure for each handhole adapted to engage the inside of' the rear wall of the header.

3. In a fluid heater. a bank of circulating tubes land headers each connecting the ends of a sincle pair only of said tubes, each header having a front wall. with tube holes into which the tube ends are entered, and a rear wall having two portionsl in planes at Aan angle to each other with a hand hole in each part opposite one of said tube holes, one of said handholes heilig circular and concentric with one of said tube holes and the other handhole beingelliptical and eccentric to the other tube hole with the end of the major axis of the ellipse"substantially opposite'fthe side of its tube hole farthest from the other tube hole` and a closure for each handhole adapted to engage the inside of the rear wall of the header.

4. In a fluid heater, a bank of circulating tubes and headers connecting the ends of said tubes. the tubes being divided into pairs, with the ends of each pair entering tube holes in the front wall-of a header and the rear wall of the header having two portionsforming an angle with each other. each portion havf ing a handhole therein, one of said handholes being circular and concentric. with one of the tubes of one of said palrs and another of said handholes being elliptical and eccentric Sli lli

to the other of the pair of tubes, and a closure for eachhandhole adapted to engage the inside o the rear wall of the header.

5. In a fluid heater, a bank of circulating tubes and headers connecting theends of said tubes, the tubes being divided into pairs, with the ends of each pair entering tube holes in the front wall of a header and the rear wall of the header-having two portions forming an angle with each other, each portion having a handhole therein, one of said handholes being circular and concentric with one of the tubes of one of said pairs and another of said handholes being elliptical and eccentric to the other of the pair of tubes with the end of the major axis of the ellipse substantially opposite the side ofits tube farthest from the other tube of the pair, and a closure for each handhole adapted to engage the inside ofthe rear wall of the header.

6. In a fluid heater, a bank of circulating tubes and headers connecting the ends of said tubes, the tubes being divided into pairs, with the ends of each palr entering tube holes in the front Wall of a header and the rear Wall of the header having two portions forming an angle with'each other, each portion having a handhole therein, one of said hand. -holes being concentric with one of the tubesy of one of said pairs and another of said handholes being elliptical and eccentric to the other of the pair of tubes, and a closure for each handhole adapted to engage the inside of the rear wall of the header.

7. In a fluidlheater, a header having front and rear walls, the front wall lying substantially ina single plane and having a pair of holes for the reception of tubev ends and the rear wall being formed of two portions disposed opposite the tube holes and forming an interior angle between them of less than one of said portions having a substantially round handhole and the other portion having a substantially elliptical handhole therein, and round and elliptical covers respectively adapted to close said round and elliptical handholes by engagement with the inside of the rear wall.

' EDWIN JOWETT. 

